Data is widely available and easy to access. However, gaining useful, relevant and practical information from that data, and translating it into actions that improve the risk, is what really provides value for a company and has a positive business impact. Customers often own a lot of data but they may not see the value of analysing the information they…

The majority of risk managers and captive owners surveyed by Commercial Risk believe a hard market is on its way, and, in response, the vast majority plan to write more business through their captive in the future…

When goods are being transported, by land, sea or air, there are physical damage risks along the way. Goods can be damaged during loading or unloading, as well as during transit and even while in storage. Madeleine Griffiths, UK and Ireland cargo underwriter* at XL Catlin, now part of AXA XL, a division of AXA, explains how cargo coverage works…

There has been much talk about the impact of recent tax reforms in the US on the insurance sector and on global insurance programmes, with concerns over the effect on costs and structuring of programmes. There is little doubt that the reforms may necessitate some restructuring of programmes and some additional costs, but the impact for most insurers is certainly…

A consistent claims service is essential for multinational clients wherever in the world a loss occurs. The aim of a claims service in the event of a major catastrophic loss is to minimise the impact of business interruption, preserve brand and reputation, and work closely with all parties involved to get clients’ facilities and operations back up and running as…

Recent months have seen increased volatility in emerging markets as foreign investors pull back from heavily indebted countries like Turkey, Argentina and South Africa. While a full-blown debt crisis looks unlikely, political risk in emerging markets is expected to heighten, driving increased demand for specialist trade credit insurance. With rising interest rates in the US, emerging markets have been finding…

After a number of very high-profile data breaches, including at British Airways and Facebook, there has been a great deal of focus on potential class actions to recover damages for individuals affected. The potential number of victims in a data breach (BA estimates about 380,000 and Facebook 50 million) means that any successful class actions could result in very significant…

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is an ambitious infrastructure development strategy announced by the Chinese Government. The initiative will cover more than 70 countries and is expected to cost about $1trn. Chinese companies are believed to have secured construction contracts worth more than $340bn and the Chinese Government has invested more than $210bn so far. The sheer size of…

A multinational programme will generally be put together by the multinational company, together with its global broker. The programme itself may include local brokers in different countries who will need to work with the central broker. The choice of local broker may have been made by the local operation, while the central broker will be chosen by the parent company.…

International insurance programmes are no longer simply for large multinationals. As the world has got smaller, many medium-sized companies are now operating internationally and as a result, are looking at the issue of how to structure an international insurance programme. This needs to be carefully structured to take into account a number of important factors, including cost, control, consistency and…